Ewing, NJ… The College of New Jersey wrestling team recorded its biggest win in the young coaching career of Joe Galante as the Lions knocked off third-ranked Centenary College 21-17 in Packer Hall on Friday.
 
TCNJ, which entered the match ranked 19^th, received contributions from throughout its line-up winning six weight classes. The win puts the Lions at 8-5 on the season.
 
The loss dropped the Cyclones to 7-3.
 
Lion junior Kevin Churchill (Newton, NJ/Newton) opened the match with a come-from-behind win at 125 scoring six points in the final period for a 10-5 win over Erick Orellena (Brentwood, NJ/Breantwood). That win was his 19^th of the season.
 
After the Cyclones tied the match at 3-3 with a win at 141, freshman Dylan Thorsen (Belvidere, NJ/Belvidere) put the hosts back on top with a hard-fought 8-3 triumph.
 
Centenary forged a 7-6 lead with a win by major decision at 149, but TCNJ's Nick Detsis (Hillsborough, NJ/Hillsborough) used his 1:43 of riding to gain the deciding point in huge 2-1 win at 157 as the Lions once again reclaimed the lead at 9-7. Detsis, a freshman, was taking the mat for the first time this season in a dual meet.
 
The 165-pound weight class had a pair of ranked wrestlers square off in fourth-ranked John Darling (Moorestown, NJ/Moorestown) of TCNJ and 10^th-ranked Owen Vernon (Great Meadows, NJ/Hackettstown) of Centenary. Darling got the best of his Cyclone counterpart with a 2-0 decision.
 
At 174, Centenary crept to within a point Kevin Dufresne (Newark, NJ/St. Benedicts Prep) won by a major decision cutting TCNJ's lead to 12-11.
 
Junior Zach Zotollo (Paramus, NJ/Paramus) added a another key victory at 184 pounds for the Lions, posting a 7-3 win pushing the difference to 15-11.
 
Junior Brian Broderick (Manahawkin, NJ/Southern Regional) bumped a weight class and secured the match with a pin 56 seconds at 197.
 
The Cyclones made the final margin 21-17 via a forfeit to close out the match.
 
TCNJ is right back on the mat tomorrow competing at the Messiah College Open.
 
#19 The College of New Jersey 21, #3 Centenary College 17
125 – Kevin Churchill (T) dec. Erick Orellana (C), 10-5 (3-0)   
133 – Zach Huxford (C) dec. Joey DiCarlo (T), 7-3 (3-3)
141 – Dylan Thorsen (T) dec. Corey Vernon (C), 8-3 (6-3)
149 – Craig Montgomery (C) by maj. dec. Mike Shaughnessy (T), 14-1 (6-7)
157 – Nick Detsis (T) dec. Allen Jordan (C), 2-1 (9-7)
165 – #4 John Darling (T) dec. #10 Owen Vernon (C), 2-0 (12-7)
174 – Kevin Dufresne (C) by maj. dec. KC Murphy (T), 12-4 (12-11)
184 – Zach Zotollo (T) dec. Khalid Shakir (C), 7-3 (15-11)
197 – Brian Broderick (T) pinned Brandon Hull (C), :56 (21-11)
285 – #2 J.D. Zitone (C) by for forfeit (21-17)